Croque madame

Step 1

To make the rarebit, place the cheese and milk in a heavy-based pan and season with salt and white pepper, to taste. Stir continuously over a medium heat to melt the cheese. Once melted, add the flour, breadcrumbs, and mustard powder, and continuously stir until it reaches a thick consistency. Pour onto a large flat tray and allow to cool to room temperature.

Step 2

Once the mixture has cooled, tip into a food processor and blend. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks, one-by-one, to the food processor whilst blending. Add the Worcestershire sauce and pulse to just combine. Transfer into a piping bag and leave at room temperature until needed.

Step 3

To make the yeast extract butter, mix the yeast extract into the soft butter in a bowl until fully incorporated, then add good squeeze of lemon juice. Set aside until needed.

Step 4

To make the croque madame, preheat the oven to 200C/180C/Gas 5.

Step 5

Brush both sides of each slice of sourdough with the flavoured butter. In a hot large frying pan, heat 50g/1¾oz od the unflavoured butter until foaming. Add 2 slices of the sourdough and fry until slightly light brown in colour. Turnover and repeat on each side, then set aside. Repeat with the remaining sourdough.

Step 6

Pipe the rarebit onto one slice of bread, place 2 ham slices on topand a sundried tomato, followed by a slice of fried sourdough. Repeat to make three more sandwiches. Place the sandwiches on a baking try and bake until the cheese has melted and the sourdough is nicely toasted.

Step 7

Meanwhile, heat a dash of vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the eggs to your liking over a medium heat, ideally they should retain a runny yolk.

Step 8

Remove each croque madame carefully out of the oven and place between 4 plates. Top with a fried egg, garnish with the gherkin halves, held in place with cocktail sticks.